I'm trying to make it a habit to browse random forums everyday, rather than my random news sites so I can learn more.So I have some newbie questions and hope to get some direction.

IMO:You really shouldn't look at the FICO score at all unless you're relatively good at understanding what goes into it.If I can tell a dude to put things on his debit card instead of his credit card (that he pays off in full each month when the bill comes), and bump his score 37 points in 30 days, with no other changes to his financial life (note that I didn't even change his spending habits, just which card he swipes... told him he could have the rewards points, or good credit, but not both), that tells us that the FICO scoring algorithm wasn't accurately capturing his creditworthiness to begin with.If he's got a 732 one month after talking to me, and literally the only thing that changed was which card he swipes, he should have had a 732 a month ago in a fair world.

You do $10,000 worth of improvements to get the property to a habitable state and now you've got $20,000 in it.

One of Ramsey's largest creditors was sold to a larger bank, which began to take a harder look at Ramsey's borrowing habits.

No harm there, but slow way down. 

The reason behind searching for a habitable and occupied property was that at the time I had very little income, and the bank allowed a portion of the existing rent to be used to bolster my income on my loan application.

1) likely no harm in waiting 30 days or so, since they're over priced2) most FSBO's are open to working with a buyer's agent, particularly if it's been listed for a few weeks or so.

Seems so simple yet since learning that I've been able to do better comp on habitable property. 

If the DOM are large then it may be more of a possibility but I wouldn't make it a habit. 

Others have bad habits and some are trainable.